In a possibly controversial move, the City Council variation 11 has been recommended to proceed, by the independent commissioners. The Council itself will make a decision on whether or not to accept the commissioners decision on Wednesday. I’m picking that will be a simple rubber-stamp exercise, and that the Council will go ahead with this. But is this really the right thing to do – or a clever thing?
Her Worship, the Mayor Kerry Prendergast, is quoted as saying:
“Variation 11 aims to help transform the bleak and underutilised north Kumutoto section of the waterfront – between the Meridian…
read the full entryThe opening of the new restaurant Portofino in the base of the Meridian building will add nicely to the ambience of the Kumutoto area, making a triumverate of eateries / drinkeries that is a little Wellington all in itself. I’m surprised that the staff in the building above ever need to leave their offices at all. They’ve got the sumptuous Mojototo fitout by Alistar Cox, with its multi-hued stripey nature, the always packed nature of the Wagamamatoto with the best noodles and gyoza in town, and now the sumptuous Portofinototo finishes the building off nicely, glowing invitingly and looking like…
read the full entryIn what appears to be one of Wellington’s more anticipated restaurant openings for years, a branch of the international noodle bar Wagamama has opened in the Meridian building, and already queues are forming out the door: indeed, breaking all Australasian records for turnover in a first week, despite it being the middle of a very bleak winter. It evidently has been a phenomenal success. This is the first (and probably will be the only) branch of Wagamama to open in Wellington – there are already two or three in Auckland, although the chain itself started in London a couple…
read the full entryHaving finally made my way down to the Waterfront Information Center, I was able to take more of a broad look at the Athfield Kumutoto wins. The pictures and write-up shown in the Dom really don’t give a full idea of the scheme, so here is something of a brief second look at the project. Apologies for the poor picture quality, need to start getting us those press releases….
For me, the biggest reveal was the city-side façades. Site 10 adopts a fenestration patterning similar to that used by the near-by BNZ waterfront project, but breaks the mould by adding…
read the full entryAthfield Architects have scooped the waterfront prize-pool, with a clean sweep win of all the sites covered in the Kumutoto North competition. Well done indeed to Ath and his merry band of cliffside dwellers. Wellington Waterfront also deservers kudos for having running a competition in the first place, and for sneaking out the press release a mere 5 months after the competition was held. We’re not quite sure why it has taken so long for the decision to be know, but we’re glad that a new conversation can now begin in earnest.
The first question therefore is, have the judges…
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